Contents

Background & Story

Travis Wanderly is Constance's lover and boy toy. The depth of their relationship may at times appear very shallow, with Constance seemingly wanting Travis only because he is young and beautiful and Travis only wanting Constance because she takes care of him and funds his attempts at fame. At other times, their relationship appears deeper, such as when Travis confesses to Hayden that he truly loves Constance and Constance telling Larry that Travis is double the man he will ever be. He runs errands for Constance and, like many others, is subject to her verbal abuse. When Adelaide was alive, he was very kind and, possibly, sexually involved with her, as is suggested by Constance.

He dreams of making it big, constantly auditioning and modeling. Unlike Constance, he has no reservations against nudity and is willing to do anything for the fame. After her daughter's death, Constance becomes more impatient with him. They get into a argument one night after he comes home from walking some of the dogs in her daycare. She sends Travis back out on an errand where he is then intercepted at the gates of the Murder House by Hayden. She has sex with him, convincing him that by sleeping with her he will gain control over Constance by exploiting Constance's insecurities.

Constance tolerates his dreams and ambitions until she decides she wants him to marry her and take care of a child with her, the child being Tate's that Vivien is pregnant with. Travis rejects the idea out of fear of such responsibility and, primarily, fear of it interfering with his dreams of stardom. This angers Constance and she cuts him down by telling him the harsh reality of his illusions of fame. Travis, hurt and confused by Constance's sharp tongue response, leaves.

In an effort to vent his anger, Travis sleeps with Hayden again. Afterwards, he tells Hayden that the encounter has helped him realize he truly loves Constance and that he will give the relationship another chance. This drives Hayden over the edge and she stabs Travis to death, thus trapping his soul in the house.

After some contemplation, Hayden realizes her mistake as Travis' dead body could get Ben arrested. Charles Montgomery steps in and offers to assist her in getting rid of the body. Obviously, given his back story in the same episode, this meant cutting him into pieces. Hayden then contacts Larry Harvey to dispose of the body, since the ghosts cannot leave the house. At the end of the episode, "Spooky Little Girl," Travis' body is found under an overpass. His body is severed at the waist, his face mutilated with the Glasgow Smile, imitating the "Black Dahlia."

In "Smoldering Children," Travis expresses how satisfied he is with the amount of media attention his death has drawn, even asking Larry Harvey to bring him newspaper clippings so he can start a scrapbook. His murder case has been called the "Boy Dahlia."

In "Afterbirth", Travis slits Hayden's throat to retrieve Michael from her and give the baby to Constance. He smiles at her as if he was looking for her approval.

Appearance

Travis is a handsome, well-built young man with medium-length brown hair.

Episodic Appearance

"Home Invasion" - Travis is with Constance in her bedroom, and the two are talking when Addy tries to interrupt to tell them there is a strange man in the Murder House.

"Halloween: Part 1" - Travis is in Constance's kitchen, sitting with Addy, popping chocolate chips in his mouth as he reads a children's book about the origins of Halloween. Addy appears to enjoy his company, listening to the story, smiling and laughing, until Constance appears. Travis is then asked by Constance to run to the store to get her a carton of Pall Mall Cigarettes and a new bag of chocolate chips as she hands him cash.

"Spooky Little Girl" - This episode puts more of a focus on Travis's and Constance's relationship and how strained it has become after Addie's death. Hayden, for whatever twisted purpose, decides to aid in their separation by sleeping with him. By the end of the episode, Travis meets a grim demise.

"Smoldering Children" - Constance is questioned by two police officers at her home after they hear from a worker at a Korean market that she and Travis fought often. Later, Larry Harvey is seen taking Travis' clothes, which are hidden behind some loose bricks in the basement. Travis asks him why he's moving his clothing and Larry dismisses it, saying they shouldn't be left "lying around" because it's "evidence." Travis agrees, then asks Larry if his death has been featured on the news. Larry says it has and Travis then asks how Constance has been taking his death. Larry tells him she's taking it hard, to which Travis surprisingly seems happy. Travis then asks Larry if he'll bring him newspaper clippings about his death so he can "start a scrapbook."

"Afterbirth" - Travis assists Constance in retrieving Michael by slitting Hayden's throat while she is rocking the baby in a chair. Travis smiles at Constance as if he was seeking approval.

Quotes

Travis Wanderly: "Why are you being so mean?"Constance Langdon: "No, I'm being honest!"Travis Wanderly: "You're being mean!"

Notes

Travis' life bears strong resemblance to Elizabeth Short's. He is a young man who came to L.A. for a shot at fame only to be gruesomely murdered. Also like Short, he gained a nickname in the aftermath of his death: The Boy Dahlia.